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Minnesota leads nation in Somali immigrants

(AP) - Minnesota saw its third largest influx of
immigrants in a quarter century in 2004, with immigrants from
Somalia leading the pack.

In all, 11,708 legal immigrants came to Minnesota in 2004,
according to Department of Homeland Security data released by the
State Demographic Center.

That put the state at 16th nationally, but it was first in the
number of Somali immigrants, at 1,445. Ohio was a distant second,
with 572 Somali immigrants.

There's no place for them to return to in Africa. Somalia has no government and it's still very chaotic and
dangerous.

Barbara Ronningen, State Demographic Center

Faced with political turmoil and violent unrest in their home
country, Somali refugees started coming to the U.S. in large
numbers in the mid-1990s. Minnesota quickly became a favored
destination, thanks at least in part to a number of well-organized
groups established to help immigrants settle, such as Lutheran
Social Services and Catholic Charities.

The mid-'90s Minnesota economy was also a draw, said Barbara
Ronningen of the State Demographic Center, offering plenty of job
opportunities for immigrants who wanted them.

Before long, Ronningen said, a Somali community started to
establish itself.

"It's fairly common in immigration, when there's a critical
mass - a large group of people from the same places - that they
will attract more people from their home country," she said.

In 2004, the total number of Somali residents of Minnesota was
estimated to be 25,000, and Ronningen said it could be as high as
30,000 now - with no sign of slowing down.

"There's no place for them to return to in Africa," Ronningen
said. "Somalia has no government and it's still very chaotic and
dangerous."

Of Minnesota's 11,708 immigrants last year, the largest number
(4,319) came from Africa. That put the state at fifth in the nation
for number of African immigrants, behind only California, New York,
Texas and Maryland.

Other countries well-represented among Minnesota's new
immigrants in 2004 were Ethiopia, Mexico, India, the Philippines,
China and Vietnam.

The vast majority of Minnesota's immigrants, almost 84 percent,
settled in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.